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US-Israel war on Iran heightens fears on air travel safety
Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | There were 51 accidents in 2025 among 38.7 million flights, according to the annual safety report of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Of these, eight were fatal, most prominently the crash of Air India Flight 171 that killed 260 people, including 19 on the ground in Ahmedabad, India, in June 2025.
The air accidents reported in 2025 were fewer than the 54 accidents among 37.9 million flights in 2024, but the US-Israeli bombardment of Iran and the latter’s retaliation on US allies in the Middle East have heightened fears on air travel.
Flights to and from Dubai International Airport—a major connecting hub—remain limited due to Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates. Qatar also has limited scheduled flights to and from Hamad International Airport in Doha.
The IATA report says there were an average of 44 accidents in the 2021-2025 period. “There were 394 onboard fatalities in 2025, more than the 244 fatalities reported in 2024 and the five-year average of 198,” the report stated.
“Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel. Accidents are extremely rare, and each one reminds us to be even more focused on continuous improvement through global standards and collaboration guided by safety data,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
“The result of that effort is clear in how the five-year rolling average rate for fatal accidents has improved. A decade ago, the rate stood at one fatal accident for every 3.5 million flights (2012-2016). Today, it is one fatal accident for every 5.6 million flights (2021-2025),” Walsh said.
The most common accidents in 2025 were tail strikes, landing gear events, runway excursions, and ground damage per the report. This underscores the importance of takeoff, landing, and ground-handling safety measures.
Notably, there were no loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) accidents in 2025. It is the second time this has been achieved (previously in 2020) and is significant, as LOC-I are a leading cause of fatalities according to IATA.
Airport facilities contributed to 16% of accidents in 2025. “This reinforces the need to fully respect global standards for runway safety areas, frangible installations within safety zones, and the effective mitigation of hazards such as runway surface contaminants, inadequate markings or lighting, and obstacles within protected areas or near runways.”
In 2023, Menzies Aviation—the main ground-handling company—at Entebbe International Airport acquired new forklifts and pallet loaders worth $US1m to bolster its cargo operations.
